Can Bread Be Good for You? 5 Healthy Alternatives That Are Next-Level Delicious

Bread gets a seriously bad rap. In certain major cities, it seems more socially acceptable to light up a cigarette or drive sans seat belt than to nod yes to a waiter’s basket of rolls. How is it that in the last few decades this dietary staple has fallen so far out of favor? Refined white flour, added sugar, and a slew of preservatives. Not to mention the backlash that’s swelled against gluten as celiac sufferers and other dieters turn away from the once-ubiquitous food. But breaking it off with bagels, baguettes, and all baked goods is no easy feat, even for those who swear by the health benefits. “Nothing filled the void of bread,” lamented Amanda Orso, cofounder of Barely Bread, a new startup about to hit store shelves.

Orso is one of a cadre of bakers who have set out to change the very fundamentals of bread, stripping out harmful ingredients and loading in healthful, flavorful ones. Bread 2.0 is as much about what’s added in as what’s removed, with ground nuts taking the place of processed flours and sweet potatoes providing balanced sweetness and satisfying heft. This new class of bakers will have you back on bread—and feeling better than ever.

Po-Po’s, BrooklynDiane Chang’s cultish breads, like the turmeric banana bread that Karlie Kloss indulged in post–Met Gala, are rooted in traditions passed on to her from her grandmother. “She had an amazing perspective on food,” Chang says. “She would see things in packages and ask, ‘Why are we eating foods with preservatives?’ She was one of the first people in my life who said, ‘I don’t know about white flour. You shouldn’t be eating this all the time.’ ” It was during her years at Bon Appétit sampling sweets daily in the test kitchen that Chang began to appreciate that advice. Her disappointment with purportedly healthier treats (“All so overly sweet”) spurred her to create something more balanced and wholesome. Guided by the principles of her grandmother, Popo’s gluten-free breads are made from almond flour, brown rice flour, coconut milk, and unrefined sugars—and are available for purchase through her website and at select ultra-cool Brooklyn outposts.

Barely Bread, New York CityAmanda Orso was unimpressed by the options available when she cut traditional bread from her diet three years ago. But through painstaking recipe experimentation, she landed on a loaf that had the texture and flavor she had been missing. Everybody wanted it. “I was making it for my family, then my trainer, then my trainer’s clients,” explained Orso, whose sheer determination resulted in spiced and seeded loaves, baguettes, bagels, and rolls, made with a signature blend of almond, seed, and coconut flours. Gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and Paleo-approved, these breads are fully guilt-free.Available online July 1.

Free Bread, New York CityServed at the three-Michelin–starred Le Bernardin, Free Bread is hailed by many as the gold standard in gluten-free bread. Developed when Karen Freer, newly diagnosed with celiac disease, sought to satisfy her cravings, Free Bread manages to create the sought-after crunch and chew of traditional bread. That winning formula is now at work in ciabatta, muffins, croutons, biscuits, and buns, in addition to loaves.Available on the company’s website and in select grocery stores in New York City.

Breakaway Bakery, Los AngelesFor special-occasion treats like cupcakes, doughnuts, and layer cakes, Breakaway Bakery in Los Angeles sets the bar. Their offerings manage to be miraculously organic, kosher, gluten-free, low-starch, gum-free, preservative-free, and non-GMO, without sacrificing any of the decadence we want from desserts. With total transparency (their website includes the entire list of ingredients for each of its offerings), Breakaway is one place where you can find a healthier version of your favorite sweet (though not necessary low-sugar or -calorie) to suit a plethora of dietary parameters.

Mission Heirloom, BerkeleyOne of the best-loved cafés in the Bay Area, Berkeley’s Mission Heirloom offers a full all-day menu of organic, local, chemical-free cuisine—but it’s arguably their Yucan Crunch crackers that are revolutionizing the gluten-free game. Made from 100 percent yuca root fiber, which is a health-enhancing resistant starch, these crisp, satisfying wafers are heavenly with the café’s buttery radishes or pâte with apples.Available for purchase online.